Masks
by RubyDracoGirl
Summary: We all wear masks. Mine is easy to put on. Drabble, i guess.
1. Masks

Masks

by

RDG

**Mask of Business**

Let's face it.

We all wear masks.

Mine is easy to put on.

I am a scientist, a craftsman and general repairman.

No one can see beneath my mask of industry.

I work all day; researching, repairing, building and inventing. I think of ways to make the lives of my family easier.

Beneath that, I worry. I am angry, frustrated, confused and lonely.

Why?

Because… beneath it all, I long and crave to be understood. Being a mutant limits my friends. The friends I have do not truly understand me.

I wish there was someone I could talk to, who would understand and maybe even relate.

Daily I place my mask over my face and no one is the wiser.

8~8~8~8~8

**Mask of Anger.**

Let's face it.

We all wear masks.

Mine is easy to put on.

I'm the strongest, the toughest and I love to fight.

No one _wants_ to look beneath my mask of rage.

I go about my days training, warning others to leave me alone and those who do not leave me alone, I fight.

Why?

Because I'm afraid they'll see under my pretense.

I'm lonely.

How? You ask," you have friends, brothers. How can you be lonely?"

Yeah, I have friends who care but I'm alone all the same.

Isn't there someone who could understand me? Someone who I wouldn't have to hide from?

But I'll never know. Because I can't let down my guard. The others depend on my guard to be up. I'm their first line of defense, because I'm the offense. So I won't let down my guard.

And no one will ever know who I am beneath my mask of anger.

8~8~8~8~8

**Mask of Laughter**

Let's face it.

Everyone wears masks.

Mine is easy to put on.

I'm not easily discouraged and I like making others laugh. Heh, making fun of overly serious people comes naturally to me. But sometimes, I feel like I'm laughing on the outside and crying on the inside.

There's no one to make me laugh. No, that's my job… who knew it could be so lonely?

I'm alone with my laughter, pranks and jokes.

And with that loneliness comes a sadness I can't describe. It's easy to cover up, though it hurts so much.

I hide my sadness and loneliness with cheeriness and goofiness.

Ironic, isn't it?

8~8~8~8~8

**Mask of Confidence**

Let's face it.

We all wear masks.

Mine is easy to put on.

I'm the oldest, the responsible big brother and the disciplined ninja. The dutiful son and the uncanny warrior.

No one knows who I really am beneath this mask of leadership.

They assume I am stronger then I really am, braver then how I really feel, and they think I know more then I really do.

The truth is, I am a blind man leading blind men. Beneath my serene mask, I can pretend I know what I am doing; I pretend I have the answers. I can't let down my mask.

If I do, then I will let them all down. My brothers depends on me for leadership, for the answers and the direction. My father depends on me to lead my brothers. I cannot ever show them that I am just as lost as they.

Day by day, I keep my mask on, pretending I'm in charge.

So, what's your mask?

* * *

Sorry, this came to me, and i had to write it down. i have no idea, however, what possessed me to PUBLISH it.

the coffee did it.

I have updated this, taking something from it. Until I find a better way to state what I originally wrote, it will remain this way. Thank you for reading!


	2. Part 2

Part Two

Masks

**Casey Jones**

**Mask of Brutality**

Let's face it.

We all wear masks.

Mine is easy to put on. All I have to do is strap it on and I'm good to go.

But you know what?

There's also more then one way to hide your face.

Except I can't wear my hockey mask all the time. When I'm not bashing skulls, I wear a mask of skin and bone. One that doesn't come with straps, know what I mean?

Each day, I walk on on the streets, looking at weary faces. Looking at people who have no idea of the bruises that exist on my body for their sake. They don't know that I get the crud beat out of me, just so they can walk to work without worrying about punks getting ideas about daylight mugging. But to anyone who looks at the skin on my face, I'm just a dumb brute. A literal bonehead. And yeah, I can be pretty stupid sometimes. Does this mean I have no heart?

Then again, I can't afford to be all lovey when the lives of my friends are on the line. I have to strong… and most of the time, I have to be mean. It's not my job to the nice guy.

And though it bothers me sometimes, I know I wouldn't be good at being the nice guy. Sometimes, I have to be the brute, so that others can have the luxury of being nice.

Hey, did I just sound smart?

Or maybe I really AM just a bonehead.

My hockey mask can look as brutal as the flesh that covers my face sometimes…

And it makes me wonder at times…

Are there people who hide their own brutality with a mask of gentleness?

**Leatherhead**

**Mask Of Intellect**

Let's face it.

We all wear masks.

Mine is… not that easy to put on.

Because, you see, I cannot hide the fact that I am a monster.

Though I have intelligence that separates me from my monstrous appearance, the beast in me still lurks.

Often times, my mask is not enough for me to hide what I am… what I could become.

I cannot easily disguise my growls and snarls as words to express what I feel.

I cannot always hide away from my rage, my fear…

My animosity of those that instilled these conditions in me.

If not for my friends, those who I call my brothers, I would be lost. My mask would be different… it would be no mask.

My visage would be that of a mere savage. A monster with a taste for blood and violence.

I feel such shame. I can build technology that no human could accomplish… yet I could be reduced to a drooling, snarling, incomparable _beast_ at the merest provocation.

Tell me… wouldn't you wear a mask to hide that which you were ashamed of? I am ashamed that my intelligence is one way to hide my feral instincts… But it's all I have.

** April**

**Mask Of Courage**

Let's face it. We all wear masks.

Wow, what a thought. I always feel like others lean on me to be understanding, to be brave and to have all the answers. I'm the girl my friends turn to for advice. Who the hell am I to tell them what I think? Why is it my opinion that they find so important? I'm only human, I'm just an antique shop owner. Why has so much trust been placed in me?

I'm not saying I resent it, far from it! I just know that… they could have someone better. Braver. Stronger. Someone who's more… I don't know.

I never let them see me like this.

Insecure, worried… just so overwhelmed by the things that have happened in my life. I'm working hard to not let it get to me, to stay strong for them… It's such an act at times.

How can I bear to be so hypocritical, as if I really do have all the answers, as if my opinion is the best and most objective?

But if I fail them, then it'll be so much worse.

I'll just have to suck it up and keep smiling.

** Karai**

**Mask Of Honor**

Let's face it… everyone covers their face.

It has taken me so long to realize that my honor is a way to disguise my truest self.

My reflection mocks me, with it's cold eyes and the sneer that emanates from my lips…

I don't even recognize myself from the scared, defiant girl I used to be. Now, I am a tool, a weapon, to be used against those that anger my master. But inside, I do not agree with him.

His methods, his judgements… It is all dishonorable.

But I owe him a debt that I will never be able to repay. And so I call my obedience and loyalty honor, and I stay behind that title, I keep my cold mask, my haughty eyes and grim lips, to keep others from seeing my self-disgust, my doubt and my sorrow at the many sins I commit to keep my head above water.

My self-worth is pushed to the back of my mind as I work to fool everyone... including myself.

* * *

I;ve been meaning to do this for quite some time. I hope these are just as good as the others. I think I might be completely off about Karai, but oh well.

review, please :)


End file.
